FY 2014 Tribal Projects

EPA awarded over $925,000 in grant funds for tribes in Washington to remove older marine diesel engines that emit harmful air pollutants and replace them with newer engines for more efficient marine vessels.

FY2014 Awardee: Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount: $792,000

Description: The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is receiving $792,000 to reduce diesel pollution from the Swinomish Fishing Fleet. The project will replace twelve older and more polluting marine diesel engines with new, low-emission diesel engines. The project is expected to improve the air quality for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.

FY 2014 Awardee: Lummi Nation

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount: $77,250

Description: The Lummi Nation is receiving $77,250 to reduce diesel pollution from two marine fishing fleet vessels that are used to harvest salmon, halibut, crab, and shrimp. The Lummi Reservation is located in Whatcom County and is ranked among the 80th percentile of the worst counties in the United States for the number of people living in areas where cancer risk from HAPs (Hazardous Air Pollutants) exceeds 1 in 10,000, for which diesel emissions is a high contributing factor. The average year of diesel engines in the Lummi fishing fleet is 1992. Older engines have poor performance, low fuel-efficiency, and high emissions. Repowering marine vessels is one of the most efficient and cost-effective techniques for cleaner air and a healthier environment.

FY2014 Awardee: Upper Skagit Tribe

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount: $55,890

Description: The Upper Skagit Tribe is receiving $55,890 to fund a marine engine repower project. The project will repower the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe’s Fisheries Regulatory Compliance vessel by replacing an older, more polluting engine, with a newer, more efficient marine diesel engine meeting. Waterways immediately adjacent to the Skagit/Samish watersheds experience a disproportionate amount of air pollution from diesel fleets. This project will reduce emissions from the compliance vessel, which will be used in the ports around Skagit, Island and Whatcom counties.

FY 2013 Tribal Projects

EPA received two tribal applications for the FY2013 competition, requesting over $748K. EPA awarded grants to repower fishing vessels to two tribal applicants.

Upgrade Marine Engines
Install Shore Power Pedestals

FY2013 Awardee: Swinomish Indian Community

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount: $467,846

Description: In 2013, EPA awarded the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community $467,846 to pay for up to 40% of the cost to replace the Tier 0 engines of 12 marine vessels with Tier 2 engines, and install 18 shore power pedestals in the tribe’s marina.

FY 2012 Tribal Projects

EPA received two Tribal applications for the FY2012 competition, requesting over $600K. EPA awarded one grant to repower fishing vessel engines.

Fishing vessel with new Tier 2 engine

FY2012 and FY2011 Awardee: Tulalip Tribe

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount:$346,620 in 2012 and $576,525 in 2011

Description: In 2012, EPA awarded the Tulalip Tribe $346,620 to pay up to 50% of cost to repower an additional 11 Tribal fishing vessels, upgrading them from Tier 0 to Tier 2.

In 2011, EPA awarded the Tulalip Tribe $576,525 to replace 11 Tribal fishing vessel engines, upgrading them from Tier 0 to Tier 2. The Tulalip Tribal lands are located north of the Snohomish River in Washington State.

FY 2011 Tribal Projects

EPA received seven Tribal applications for the FY 2011 competition, requesting a total of $2.5 million. EPA awarded four grants to repower fishing vessels and a generator and to retrofit mining equipment.

Nine upgraded fishing vessels

FY 2011 Awardee: Makah Tribe

Location: Washington (Region 10)

Award Amount: $750,000

Description: EPA awarded the Makah Tribe $750,000 to repower 11 fishing vessels. The Makah Tribe is located in the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

Cleaner Mining Equipment

FY 2011 Awardee: Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community

Location: Arizona (Region 9)

Award Amount: $150,000

Description: EPA awarded the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community $150,000 to retrofit seven pieces of equipment used for mining work on Tribal lands. The Tribe is located in the northeast part of the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area.

Description: EPA awarded the Tanana Chiefs $59,000 to repower a generator which provides a significant amount of the village’s power. Located in Fort Yukon, Alaska, the village must rely on generators to supply electricity and heat.

FY 2009/2010 Tribal Projects

During the first Tribal Competition, EPA received a total of eight applications from Tribes located in Regions 5, 7, 9, and 10 requesting over $3.1 million in awards funds. EPA awarded four Tribal grants to retrofit, repower, and replace school buses, refuse haulers, buses and other diesel powered equipment.

Dump truck with diesel oxidation catalyst

FY 2009/2010 Awardee: Leech Lake Band of Ojibwa

Location: Minnesota (Region 5)

Award Amount: $64,633

Description: EPA awarded Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe $64,633 to retrofit a street sweeper with a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) and repower of two dump trucks. Leech Lake is located in north central Minnesota.

FY 2009/2010 Awardee: Morongo Band of Mission Indians

Location: California (Region 9)

Award Amount: $250,000

Description: EPA awarded Morongo Band of Mission Indians $250,000 to install diesel particulate filters on four school buses, a charter bus, a dump truck, and a water truck; and to replace two diesel schools buses with CNG powered school buses. The Tribal lands of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians are located along the San Gabriel and San Jacinto Mountains in Southern California along Interstate 10.

Description: EPA awarded the Sac and Fox Tribe $190,000 to replace four school buses. The Tribe provided an additional $190,000 in matching funds. The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi lands are located in central Iowa, approximately 45 miles west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

School bus with new diesel particulate filter

FY 2009/2010 Awardee: Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians

Location: California (Region 9)

Award Amount: $78,000

Description: EPA awarded the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians $78,000 to retrofit six of their school buses with diesel particulate filters. The buses travel through three heavily populated counties: Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego. The first two are recognized as having some of the worst air quality in the nation.